All eyes on London

London will become the capital of rugby league thanks to a feast of events taking place around Saturday?s Powergen Challenge Cup final between Huddersfield Giants and St Helens at Twickenham.

To kick things off, the ?Sports Hub? in Regents Park hosts a two-day rugby league spectacular.

The event starts on Wednesday between 11am and 4pm with a ?Rugby League Taster Day? for boys and girls aged between five and 11.

The day is a chance for youngsters to try rugby league for the first time and also have some fun on the inflatable Powergen Rugby League Skill Zone.

The Powergen Skill Zone lets you try your hand at tackling, passing and kicking in a fun and safe environment. There is also the chance for youngsters to meet Harlequins RL players.

The second part of the spectacular is on Thursday and consists of a rugby league festival of mini matches in which youngsters can try out the skills they have learnt.

The historic Powergen Challenge Cup will also be on display from around 2.00pm.

On Friday starting at 12 noon, the finals of the Powergen Champion Schools tournament takes place at RAF Uxbridge in West London.

A total of 12 schools will compete to be crowned the national champions of their age group. Please note spectators are able to attend the Powergen Champion Schools event. The RFL website (www.rfl.uk.com) has full details of security and access at RAF Uxbridge.

Also on Friday, anybody who cannot wait for the Powergen Challenge Cup final to kick-off can see a live rugby league match when London Skolars play Workington Town at New River Stadium, Wood Green. The LHF Healthplan National League Two clash kicks off at 6.30 pm.

Of course, the Powergen Challenge Cup final at Twickenham dominates Saturday afternoon but any supporters who are heading for the big match should consider popping across the road to the Twickenham Stoop - the home of Harlequins RL.

The club is staging what they describe as the world?s biggest Powergen Challenge Cup party. For just ?10, supporters can enjoy a host of attractions including pre and post-game celebrations, a live band, spot-prize giveaways plus celebrity rugby league guests.

If Saturday?s feast of rugby league is not enough then Sunday sees the staging of the annual Middlesex Nines (MX 9s) at the north-west London home of the London Skolars club.

The tournament is supported by both the RFL and the Rugby League European Federation and involves 15 teams from Europe and beyond.

In addition to national sides from the grassroots game in the UK as well as Ireland and Scotland, the event also includes Holland, Serbia, Russia, Tartarstan, France and even South Africa.

Also competing are representatives of the student and armed forces rugby league teams. There will also be a European IX entered comprising of leading players from developing nations, including Italy, Germany, Estonia, Austria and the Czech Republic.

The action-packed day will also include family entertainment, in addition to the international rugby league on offer. The organisers call on all rugby league fans to support the event and encourage the burgeoning international league family of nations.